Products incorporating carbon nanomaterials and methods of manufacturing the same

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene platelets, or other forms of graphene are incorporated into raw materials before products and product components are manufactured from the materials. For example, CNTs may be incorporated into metallic powders, which can be pressed and sintered into metallic products and product components. CNTs or graphene platelets can also be incorporated into plastics, ceramics, metals, or other materials used to construct products and product components by additive manufacturing. When incorporated into the products and product components, the CNTs or graphene platelets can improve various properties of the products and product components, such as thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, or structural properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 mixing carbon nanomaterials into a liquid matrix or a matrix curable by a physical process to generate a graphene-based material; and   manufacturing a product or product component using the graphene-based material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanomaterials comprise carbon nanotubes, graphene platelets, one or more fullerenes, or linear acetylenic carbon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising mixing the carbon nanotubes into the matrix curable by the physical process. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the matrix comprises a metallic powder, and wherein manufacturing the product or the product component using the graphene-based material comprises pressing and sintering the graphene-based material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising aligning the carbon nanotubes before sintering. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the matrix comprises a metallic powder, and wherein manufacturing the product or the product component using the graphene-based material comprises additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the additive manufacturing comprises printing. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising incorporating the carbon nanotubes into the liquid matrix. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein manufacturing the product or product component comprises at least one of:
 extruding the product or the product component from the graphene-based material, or   printing the product or the product component.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid matrix comprises a ceramic or a polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising aligning the carbon nanotubes prior to manufacturing the product or the product component. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising mixing the graphene platelets into the matrix curable by the physical process. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the matrix comprises a metallic powder, and wherein manufacturing the product or the product component using the graphene-based material comprises pressing and sintering the graphene-based material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the matrix comprises a metallic powder, and wherein manufacturing the product or the product component using the graphene-based material comprises additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising incorporating the graphene platelets into the liquid matrix. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein manufacturing the product or the product component comprises at least one of:
 extruding the product or the product component from the graphene-based material, or   printing the product or the product component.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the liquid matrix comprises a ceramic or a polymer. 
     
     
         18 . A product or product component, comprising carbon nanomaterials in a matrix, wherein:
 a) the carbon nanomaterials in the matrix have at least one physical property selected from:
 i) a thermal conductivity that is at least 10% greater than that of the matrix without the carbon nanomaterials; 
 ii) an electrical conductivity that is at least 10% greater than that of the matrix without the carbon nanomaterials; 
 iii) a tensile strength that is at least 50% greater than that of the matrix without the carbon nanomaterials; and 
 iv) at least 25% less matrix material than that of the matrix without the carbon nanomaterials and that provides equivalent performance and/or functionality; and 
   b) when the physical property is:
 i) the thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity or the tensile strength, then an amount of the matrix material is less than that of the matrix without the carbon nanomaterials; 
 ii) the thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity or the amount of the matrix material, then the tensile strength is identical to or greater than that of the matrix without the carbon nanomaterials; 
 iii) the thermal conductivity, the tensile strength or the amount of the matrix material, then the electrical conductivity is identical to or greater than that of the matrix without the carbon nanomaterials; or 
 iv) the electrical conductivity, the tensile strength or the amount of the matrix material, then the thermal conductivity is identical to or greater than that of the matrix without the carbon nanomaterials. 
   
     
     
         19 . The product or the product component of  claim 18 , wherein the carbon nanomaterials comprise carbon nanotubes, graphene platelets, one or more fullerenes, or linear acetylenic carbon. 
     
     
         20 . The product or the product component of  claim 18 , wherein the matrix comprises a metallic powder.